Is this Rare?

Chapter 27

"To be honest, you're right, Andrea. You're right for once. I can't live without my friends. If they stopped breathing, so would I. So, I'm ready to help you." I reply as honestly as possible.

She gives a knowing smile, "Good. Come with me."

I get up, sling my drawstring over my shoulders and follow Andrea out into the unknown. She leads me through the trees and bushes. When I feel as if I can't take another step, we come upon a pond. Andrea stops and looks over the pond. So do I. Looking around, I notice a cave. "Ok. Do you see that cave over there?" She says as she gestures, "We will hide in there and go to my house on my mum's signal."

I nod as I think, "How have I never noticed her accent before?" I used to hate British accents, honestly. But, somehow, Jennifer changed my mind: as she did with lots of other things too, as in ghosts for one.

We continue around the pond and set up camp inside the cave like hollowed out hole in the side of a rock. Once we're all settled in, I rest my back against the smooth inside of our rock hideout.

"Andrea?" I bravely ask.

Surprisingly, she does answer, "Yeah, Chelsea?"

"Can I ask you something kinda personal?" I continue slowly.

"Sure. What is it?" I'm extremely shocked when I get this as an answer.

I breath in slowly and carefully collect my thoughts, "Umm, okay then. Why don't you like us? Or could you tell me about you? Like your life? Your family? Or friends?"

She lets out a big sigh and begins, "Well, I'm fifteen and I obviously don't have any friends. I just never have. Even when I was in school, nobody ever tried to talk to me or even smile at me. They just stayed out of my way. And, my family, well, let's just say, my family is a complete mess. My mom and dad were both drunk all the time. With nobody to hang out with, I just sat in my room. Alone. In the dark, most of the time."

I look at Andrea with tears in my eyes. I love everyone and when someone is hurt, crying, or upset it upsets me. I just barely get out, "Andrea?"

"Yeah." She says again, sounding completely bored out of her mind.

"Are you jealous? Of me and my friends?" I softly ask.

She looks up at me. A sad smile playing on her lips, "Umm. Yes. I hate to admit it because my mum, well, she'd would tell me I'm weak because I'm admitting to a fear or feeling I shouldn't. When you first came here I saw you all walking to the cabin, reading magazines, talking and laughing. I never had that. It makes it worse that you are so beautiful and funny."

Again, my eyes are filled to the brim with tears. Something must have just snapped in Andrea. Never in my life would I have expected Andrea to share her story with me and admit that she was jealous.

I ask, one last time, "Andrea?"

"What, Chelsea?" She doesn't even sound the least bit annoyed anymore.

As I wipe my tears away, I ask one last thing, "Do you want a friend? I'll be your friend if you want."

I look up, there are tears in Andrea's eyes and running down her cheeks. I stand up and cross over to her.

"How, Chelsea? After everything I've done to you and your friends? How can you look past that and be a friend to me? I mean, come on, I tried to kill you! I tried to tear apart your guy's friendship!" She chokes out the last few words.

I reply in an even tone, "Because, I still see the good in you. I know you can change." I lean down, wrap my skinny arms around Andrea's neck and squeeze. She hesitates then wraps her arms around my torso and squeezes me back.

"That was the first hug I've even been given." She says, barely holding back more tears.

Sensitively, I say, "Andrea, it's okay to cry and be weak. I'm legit like that every day with my friends. Being a real friend means being there for you no matter what. If you want to cry, a real friends won't judge you. They'll sit there, hug you, hold your hand, and cry with you."

She opens her mouth to reply, but the sound of a gun shot rings through the night. Andrea quickly wipes her cheeks and stands up as my heart drops.